Closure for mufflers



D. J. COURSEY CLOSURE FOR MUFFLERS Flled March 7 1947 May 9, 1950 Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES 1 Ciaim.

My invention relates to mulllers or scarfs worn around the neck, and more particularly to the frontal closures thereof, and one of my objects is to provide a novel closure in conjunction with slide fastening means employed for articles of this type.

A further object is to construct the muflier with a frontal formation which places the cloth of the muffler edge-to-edge along the line of the closure, so as to fully conceal the slide fastener located therein.

Another object is to form the cloth of the muffler in a manner to provide several plies in the frontal zone, such plies being fastened together and closed to form a lirm front and additional protection against cold and other weather conditions.

An additional object is to form the cloth of the muier with a pair of vertical pockets in which the cloth base of the slide fastener are rmly lodged and secured.

An important object is to design a muffler of the above character which presents a neat frontal appearance.

With the above objects in View, and any others which may suggest themselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the muilier as worn and fully closed;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragment of the muffler as seen from the rear side;

Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the mufller sections connected, and a portion of the muflier cloth removed to expose the bases of the slide fastener;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Mufflers or scarfs which contain a slide fastener closure are well known, and Fig. 3 of the E. Buchman patent, No. 2,042,442 of May 26, 1936 illustrates such a mufller. It is apparent from this gure and also from Fig. 4 of the patent that when the frontal sections of the muiller are connected .by the slide fastener the inner edges of the sections are not in a closed or abutting relation, but somewhat spaced, exposing the metallic slide fastener. This construction has two disadvantages, one being that no cloth exists along the fastened course to protect the wearer from cold or other unpleasant weather conditions; and the other disadvantages is that the mechanical exposure of the slide fastener detracts from the neat or dressy appearance of the muffler. It has therefore been my intention to Application March 7, 1947, Serial N0. 733,108

2 correct these disadvantages and provide a muffler closure which attains all the objects outlined above.

In accordance with the foregoing, specific reference to the drawing indicates the top or neckengaging portion of the muiiler at I0 and the frontal sections thereof at II. The familiar type of slide fastener is indicated at I5, each component thereof being carried by a cloth strip base it. It is customary to sew the bases I6 on the cloth of any garment sections which are designed to be united by the fastener, and this is usually done along the back sides of the muiller sections l I in the region where they are to be joined.

In the novel embodiment, the cloth of the muffler is given a special form in order to accommodate the slide fastener. To be specific, each frontal section I I is first formed with a, return fold Il from its inner edge I8, such fold extending to a point where it is again returned as indicated'at I Ba along the rear side with a second fold i9 which terminates some distance short of the rst edge i8. Here the fold I9 is again doubled back as indicated at 20 to form the rearmost ply 2l of the muffler section.

The folds I1 and I9 are designed to be slightly spaced, whereby to form a pocket for the insertion of the corresponding cloth base Il of the slide fastener I 5. Now the entire folded and added stock of the section extends in a vertical course, and the assembly is finally made fast by stitching 22 to form a composite unit.

The unit just described places vits component of the slide fastener I5 slightly beyond the frontal edge I8, as shown in Fig. 4; and with both sections identically formed, they may be joined by closing the fastener in the usual manner. When this is done, the edges I8 of the sections meet in abutting relation, as shown in Fig. 5, forming a closure of the cloth or other muilier material in the center thereof. In case it is found necessary or desirable, the cloth of the muffler sections may be formed with the edges I8 closer to the center than shown in Fig. 4, in which event a compressed abutting closure or an overlapped one may be obtained.

It will be apparent that, with the mulller sections formed as described, the inner edges of the cloth are advanced, so to speak, toward each other to close and conceal the slide fastener when the latter is joined, lending the front of the muiiier a neat appearance and providing an abutting or overlapped closure for the inner edges of the muii'ier sections to keep out the cold and other unpleasant weather effects. Further, the frontal 3 portions of the mufiier sections are not single plies, but folded or doubled ones. Coupled with similar sections, the latter form pockets for the slide fastener bases i6 which makes for a rm and sturdy center unit assembly when the units are stitched together and conceals the said base both on the front and back sides. Further, the unit plies combine not only to lend better body to the muier front but also to provide added thickness for protection from cold or drafts. Finally, the novel closure has a neat appearance on both sides of the muiler sections, and improves the t of the same.

While I have described the invention along specific lines, various minor changes or refinements may be made therein without departing from its principle, and I reserve the right to employ all such changes and refinements as may come within the scope and spirit of the appended claim.

I claim:

A scarf or muffler having oppositely disposed frontal sections including a slide fastener, each of said frontal sections comprising a main outer cloth facing section, said section being first foldedA back upon itself to forni a folded edge portion, lthe cloth then being folded outwardly and rearwardly to forma pocket for the reception of the slide fastener, and a rear facing section, theouter edge of the rear fa'cing'section being spaced laterally inwardly of the outer edge of the folded edge portion of the outer facing section, the slide fastener having a webbing adapted to be inserted within the pocket between the front and rear sections and vertical rows of stitching extending through both the front and rear sections to f asten the slide fastener and its webbing in place between the respective front and rear sections and further give stiffness to said frontal sections, the outer edges of the frontal sections abutting each other when the fastener is engaged.

DALLAS J. COURSEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,971,622 Quackenbush Aug. 28, 1934 2,086,325 Frankel July 6, 1937 2,102,039 Sinskey Dec. 14, 1937` 2,148,269 Koch Feb. 21, 1939 2,179,339 Reeves Aug. 22, 1939 2,422,779 Fligel June 24, 1947 FOREXGN PATENTS Number- Conntry Date 437,531 Great Britain Oct. 31, 1935 

